Unplanned Moments: Allowing Life to Unfold Naturally

I posted a slightly different version of this post on Instagram last week but wanted to elaborate more on this subject of unplanned moments in life. Click here to see original Instagram post: https://www.instagram.com/p/BHggVxfDdEj/?taken-by=chewgoodstuff

 

Unplanned Moments

Something told me to pull off the highway while driving this morning — mostly the creeping fog and all its beauty. I wanted to watch it undisturbed and free from hands on the wheel. And then these deer appeared. I sat and watched as they crossed the road, the baby one at first, timid and afraid.

It’s so easy to get wrapped up in your agenda, schedule, and go-go-go mindset but it is these natural, untainted sights like the powerful, mysterious fog and the family of deer in their element that really made my day. I am grateful that I took a detour and let life unfold before my eyes.

You can’t plan for these simple, yet captivating moments.

 

Do you ever find yourself moving at a fast pace throughout your day and forget to stop and let the enjoyable occasions just be and take a minute or even five seconds to relish in them? And if not, why is that?

Slow down, stop, and appreciate the beauty that is ubiquitous in everyday life. I must admit, I am guilty of jetting to and fro far too often in an attempt to accomplish “things” while missing out on life taking place.

I think it was John Lennon who said, “Life is what happens to you while you’re busy making other plans”.

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Here are some ways in which you can “connect” with life again and take a pause from the obscured day-to-day pace in which we so often become entangled:

• Take at least 5 minutes to get outside during your workday. Eat your lunch outdoors, take a quick walk, grab a phone call and stand in the sun while chatting. Benefits: sun (vitamin D), movement/exercise, eating away from your work desk may help you tap into the parasympathetic mode (part of the nervous system which when activated tells your body to prioritize rest/relaxation and proper digestion).
• Invite a friend to have lunch with you. Engaging with another human, besides being a magnificent way to live, is also a great tactic to eating more slowly and not cramming food down your throat which some may tend to do when dining alone. Other benefits: maybe it’ll take your mind off of work for 30 minutes so that you may reflect on life.
• Allow yourself the option of surprise and incorporate it into your day somehow. For instance, this day I stopped to watch the fog was not scheduled into my day. On a whim, I saw the fog in the distance and thought it looked beautiful and had an urge to witness it run its course so then allowed myself 5 minutes to watch it. And hadn’t I exited the highway, I wouldn’t have spotted those deer. Spontaneity and being open to these unplanned moments instead of constructing every minute of your day can do wonders. Benefits: you’ll be more likely to be gifted some of life’s offerings and will live your life with more adventure and willingness to create your own script.
• Meditate. Enough said. Benefits: far too many too list here — it’s amazing how so many experts in all walks of life recommend this practice.

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I’ll return back to a food-related post next time, but from time to time these thoughts pop into my head, and I like to share them here. I hope you don’t mind and also hope that you find them uplifting and helpful.

Let me know what you think of Unplanned Moments: Allowing Life to Unfold Naturally and as always, if you enjoy what you read, please share with a friend!